Sheila Simonson is a successful American author, known for her mystery, thriller, and romance novels. Originally from Montana, Simonson was raised in eastern Oregon and spent her early career as a history and English teacher in the Pacific Northwest. She earned her undergraduate degree from Washington University and went on to obtain advanced degrees in English and history from Portland State and the University of Washington. After more than three decades in the classroom, Simonson retired and turned to writing full-time.
Simonson's writing career has produced around 15 novels, with nine of them falling into the mystery genre and divided into two series. She has been inspired by her large family, which includes five siblings, and has used her experiences growing up with them as inspiration for her fiction. In addition to her siblings, Simonson is close with her husband of over 40 years and her son. She also has a Rhodesian Ridgeback named Mugabe, who served as the model for the character of Towser in her novel "Buffalo Bill's Defunct."
When she's not writing, Simonson enjoys traveling, reading, and cooking. Her tastes in literature are varied, encompassing all kinds of history, fiction, and archaeology. She has had a brief stint teaching science fiction, Irish history, and fiction writing, among other subjects, and misses the interactions with her students. Simonson currently resides in Vancouver, Washington.